President’s Message

March

by Sean M. McCoy

Sean M. McCoyPresident, Sacramento County Bar Association

Women and men descended on Washington, D.C., to march on the National Mall in support of equality. As is all too customary at such events, the marchers and speakers endured heckling and harassment from those who opposed or merely did not understand their goals. While this describes any number of marches and rallies in recent years, the one I refer to occurred a little over 100 years ago on March 3, 1913, the day before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson. I can’t say whether the march itself produced any immediate benefit, but the efforts of those who marched helped push Congress to approving the 19th Amendment in 1919, and then to its ratification by 36 states by August 1920.

International Women’s Day has been recognized in some form since 1909. President Carter proclaimed the week of March 8 of 1980 as National Women’s History Week, and, in 1987, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month. This year, the theme for International Women’s Day is #BalanceforBetter, and it is intended to promote equality through a gender balanced world.

As part of our own recognition of International Women’s Day, on March 8, the SCBA will host a breakfast series event featuring several notable women on our local courts. United States District Judge Kimberly Mueller will be joined by Sacramento Superior Court Judges Stacy Boulware Eurie and Emily Vasquez on a panel moderated by SCBA board member Andi Liebenbaum. The judges will be discussing issues of gender and equality, plus trials and tribulations each has faced along the way and which still confront women in the legal profession. We hope you will join them for this event.

The SCBA has a need for volunteers. If you are unsure how you can help, contact us and we can tell you. No matter how little time you have, we can use your help.

And if hearing from those impressive jurists inspires you to help make a change, consider Kids Law Day. As I mentioned in my last column, this program was started in 2017 by former SCBA President Sabrina Thomas to send attorneys, paralegals, and legal secretaries to visit elementary schools with the goal of educating and inspiring children about legal careers. This year, the program is being coordinated by 1st Vice President Shanae Buffington, with some material assistance from the Sacramento County Bar Foundation.

Although it is still two months away, please save the date of May 6. The SCBA’s sixth annual golf tournament returns from its hiatus last year. The tournament will be held at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex and will be followed that same evening by our 2019 BarStock, an evening of fun, food, and music.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not encourage you to volunteer. The SCBA has a need for volunteers. If you are unsure how you can help, contact us and we can tell you. No matter how little time you have, we can use your help.